Paper DVDs in development

The next generation of DVD discs will be made from paper, according to a report this weekend.

The so-called 'blu ray' discs are being developed by a consortium of electronics manufacturers including Sony, Philips, Hitachi and Samsung. The DVDs are much superior than the current standard, with data storage of 25Gb as opposed to the existing 4.7Gb limit.

Being composed of 51% paper, the discs will also offer the advantage of foolproof security. "Since a paper disc can be cut by scissors easily, it is simple to preserve data security when disposing of the disc," Hideaki Kawai, one of the development team, told BBC News Online.

The consortium has not yet decided when the new format will roll out commercially.